[Leica] IMG: The Age-Old Question: Which 50mm?

[Jim Nichols]

Thanks for looking, Ted.  I have had only one problem with Leica gear, 
and it was with an early 50/1.4 Summarit, which had seen a lot of use 
before I bought it.  My original IIIa and Elmar could use CLAs, but I 
don't expect either me or my heirs to shoot film any more.  Like Nathan 
and Philippe, my money, these days, will go to Fuji.  I have a couple of 
film bodies if I should really get an itch to shoot film.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA

On 12/16/2016 4:47 PM, Ted Grant wrote:
> Hi Jim,
> Just eyeballing them on screen as they came up?  As you say. The first
> appears to have a wee bit of an edge on the second.
> Me never being a tester of gear throughout my career. Oh a few times I
> fiddled, but generally when I bought "LEICA" I automatically assumed I was
> buying the best! ERGO? Testing it was an utter waste of time better spent
> earning my living!
> On my M bodies the only 50mm I ever had & have was the NOCTILUX 50mm f1.0.
> I did assume if I had a lens not perfect? It most certainly would show-up as
> I shot my assignments where on some of the documentary subjects I'd expose
> 200-300 rolls of film during a weeks shoot. My Noctilux never failed me at
> any aperture, certainly at f1.0 when that aperture made the difference
> between a captured moment and not.
> cheers
> Dr. ted Grant   C.M.- OC
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: LUG [mailto:lug-bounces+tedgrant=shaw.ca at leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
> Jim Nichols
> Sent: December-16-16 2:13 PM
> To: LUG at Leica-Users.org; Olympus Camera Discussion
> Subject: [Leica] IMG: The Age-Old Question: Which 50mm?
>
> I have recently posted some images made with the post-war Russian
> Jupiter 8, a Zeiss copy, and have had some favorable comments.  I
> personally like its images, and it is a very small package. Today, I
> decided to compare it to other older 50s in my collection.  I have no
> modern prime lenses in my collection.
>
> I set up a porcelain Wood Duck near a window, so that I could shoot as I
> normally do, hand-held at about 3 ft.  The light required ISO 1000.  I
> shot two images with each lens at f/2.8. The collection included the
> Jupiter 8, the Canon 50/1.4, the Leica Summitar, the Leica-R Summicron,
> and the Pentax Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 50/1.4.
>
> I processed the RAF files sparingly, to let the original files prevail.
> Surprisingly, the Canon and the Summicron appeared the best.  After a
> little sharpening, I picked the Summicron-R as the winner, with the
> Canon a close second.
>
> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Leica+Summicron-R+50mm+2_0+Lens
> +at+2_8+Final.tif.html
>
> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Canon+50mm+1_4+Lens+at+2_8+Fina
> l.tif.html
>
> Unfortunately, these are two of the largest, heaviest 50s in my
> collection, so I may not make them my normal choice.
>
> Comments and critiques welcomed and appreciated.
>